The Brand Burners of Cimarron — page 4: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

—_—e -race-course, and were awaiting the start- ‘ed man, and no one cared to hazard his Jong, crisply-curling red hair, beard and Bet ae from between his gleaming spine teeth 2 he Brand-Burners of The Brand-Burners of Cimarron. The Brand-Burners of Cimarron; hue, “You dare? And who are you?” he OR, cried. d “ Hercules Redrock.” Detective Goldspur’s Pard. | “A stranger here, eh JAR Nt “Never saw Tiptop till ter-day.”’ BY JOHN W. OSBON, es rapid aye “Brimstone Butte, you bet! An’ I can out-howl, out-fight or out-run a passle 0’ wildcats ! AUTHOR OF ‘‘ SPORT FROM ST. LOUIS,” ETC. Har—har—har !” “A regular chief, eh ? Well, Redrock, we sh’an’t quarrel, just yet. Step right this way, and I’ll cover your money.” Leaving his horse, he of the red beard sprang nimbly upon the platform, and flashed a roll of bills from his pocket. A stakeholder was quickly selected, and in another minute the money was posted. That done, the gambler nodded curtly, and again stepped to the edge of the plat- form. “Right this way, gentlemen, one and all, if you wish to back the quarter- blood,” he shouted, waving the roll of CHAPTER I. THE FOOT-RACE. “A hundred dollars on the white man ! “Walk up, gentlemen! Here you get ‘action for your money, and—hundred to hundred—to ninety—eighty—seventy— sixty—fifty! Ay! Gentlemen, a two- to-one shot at last ! “ Now—who dares ?” Loudly, that banter rang forth, and Spanish John, glancing his single fiery optic over the crowd, flourished a ple- thorie roll of greenbacks in support of his challenge. bank notes high above his head. “ First come, first served ! Don’t—” Twas an election day, and the little | ~~, Stiddy, bo!” interrupted Redrock. Oklkhoma town of Tiptop City was fair- ly thronged with people. Ranchmen, farmers, traders, Indians and negroes made up the motley crowd. A babel of confusion reigned, and all seemed bub- bling over with expectancy. Tiptop had been a scene of great politi- eal activity during the campaign just closed, and a speakers’ platform, nearly four feet in height, built of native lum- ber, stood near the southern end of the wide street. This street, hard and smooth, stretched away two hundred yards to the northward without break or flaw, and was in almost daily use as a race course. For the citizens of Tiptop City, almost to a man, were sportively inclined, and horse-race or foot-race ever proved a popular drawing card. At the northern end of that barren, red- clay stretch, marked by curb, gallows and rope, was the town well. There, closely hemmed in by a portion of the excited crowd, were the principals in the impend- ing event, Luke tAeetot and Pawnee Bill. The first was a denizen of Tiptop, a sport and all-around athlete—a trim, well-built fellow, slightly under medium size, but quick and wiry, with tendons and muscles like spring steel. Pawnee Bill, a quarter-blood, was a stranger in town. Tall and finely-formed, he was in no point the inferior of his opponent in muscularity or suppleness. Both men were in readiness for the tapping Spanish John’s shoulder. “ No need ter split yer thrapple !” “ Meaning—”’ “ Name yer limit, an’ I'll cover it.” “Two hundred, even.’ “Same odds?” “Two to one—yes.”’ “Done ! Har—har !” Spanish John hastily counted off the money. There was a suspicious gleam in his fierce, black eye as he passed the cash to the stakeholder, and he darted a significant glance at a dashing-looking horseman near the platform. A keen-witted man, detecting that glance, . would have instantly decided that there was an understanding between the gambler and the gayly-dressed rider. That at least was the conclusion reached by the red-bearded sport, and as he swung himself into the saddle there was a gleam in his steely blue eyes which told that he was on’his guard. At that juncture a warning shout from the starter caused the crowd to part, right and left, leaving a clear space some twelve feet in width, extending from the platform to the town pump. Then, amid almost breathless silence, the contestants advanced side by side to the scratch, and fell into position to await the signal. . It came promptly. A pistol cracked, and both lithe, sinewy bodies sped swift- ly from the line. The start was an even one, and in the first fifty yards neither sprinter gained an advantage. Then the quarter-blood strengthened his pace, and took the lead, showing a clear gain of no less than four feet at the hundred-yard mark. Luke Lightfoot’s first defeat seemed as- sured, and a murmur, quickly rising to a yell, attested the keen interest of the spectators. Spanish John scowled darkly, and a nervous tremor shook his gaunt form. Again his blinking black eye sought the gaudily-attired horseman, seeming to say: “Forward there, Dandy Dave! Do your work. Rob the quarter-blood of victory !”. And that mute command met with prompt obedience. Swinging his spur- goaded horse squarely. around, Dandy Dave uttered a shout of mock alarm and artfully urged the steed forward, forcing the crowd to break ranks and partially obstruct that side of the course held by Pawnee Bill! So skilfully executed was that dastard- ly maneuver that but few in the blindly- surging throng suspected it had been ‘carefully prearranged and had for its ob- mustache. He nodded quickly as he'| ject the defeat of the quarter-blood. came beneath the gambler’s gaze, and| But at that critical moment Hercules Redrock rose in his stirrups, and a yell, shrill with anger, rang high above the tumult. The coils of a lariat shot through dry, parchment-like skin a sickly yellow er’s orders. Spanish John, from his position upon the platform at the southern end of the street, noted as much, and stamped the floor angrily. His vehement challenge bad drawn the attention of all within reach of his voice; but Luke Lightfoot was an admitted champion, an undefeat- money upon the stranger. Again that banter rang forth, ending as before with that fiercely enunciated: ** Now—who dares ?” A brief hush fell upon the throng. Then an armed horseman, who had a moment before entered town by the southern trail urged his clean-limbed roan through the crowd to a position beside the plat- form and quickly replied: “T dares, Pard Single-Eye! I calls ver bluff! A hundred on ther quarter- blood !”’ Starting sharply, the dark-faced gam- bler again swept the upturned faces until his gaze rested upon the horseman. A tall man, splendidly formed, but roughly dressed, with laughing blue eyes, pesled a peculiar ee r—har—har Roe eat ie Ss dyed Joh ‘sinister ter | the air. The noose settled snugly around », then as quickly — Laer ade eck « Pandy. sida sek, + ee “_ ee At = we (be, a - : > Sk the glossy horsehair strand with an indescribable twang, jerking the animal off his feet. Dandy Dave, agile as a cat, escaped the fall by a timely leap. White with fury, he plucked a weapon from his belt — and turned to seek the lariat-thrower. CHAPTER II. A MYSTERIOUS DBATH. i “ Kill the scoundrel !” yelled Spanish John, hopping along the edge of the plat- form in impotent fury. “ Teach him and his ilk a lesson, Dandy !” Then ti suddenly occurred to the gam- bler that he was showing his hand too - openly, and with a muttered oath he lapsed into silence. And Dandy ? Nodding a curt response to that fierce request, the knave pushed quickly through the crowd, and in an- other minute confronted the red-bearded sport. “ Har—har! Blocked yer leetle game that time, didn’t I?” mocked Redrock, regarding his foe with cool contempt. -~- ef: you an’ Spanish Jonn aire a dizzy pair !” Dandy Dave flourished his revolver in an extremely ugly manner. Redrock had not drawn a weapon—a fact which added not a little to the ruffian’s assurance. “Scoundrel ! You shall pay dearly for your trick !” he declared, in blustering tones. “ No man Gan serve me after that fashion and escape unpunished !” “You know et !” “Yes ! And your blood shall wipe out the insult you have put upon me. But I am not one to strike a defenseless foe, so draw—” & fresh burst of yells and cheers drown- ed the remainder of the sentence, and out of that babel of sounds both men dis- tinguished enough to assure them the judges had declared Pawnee Bill vic- torious. Thereupon an angry flush suffused Dandy’s face, then quickly faded. His gleaming white teeth shut with a click, and the weapon in his hand exploded. Warned by the fierce glitter of the ruf- n’s eyes, Redrock, resorting to an old ndian trick, swung behind his horse just in time to escape that dastardly shot. Then, hanging by spur and hand, the sport drew a weapon and quickly fired from beneath the animal’s neck. A howl of pain greeted that sharp de- tonation, Leaving his weapon where it had fallen, Dandy Dave grasped his in- jured hand and sped away. Quickly righting himself in the saddle, Hercules Redrock weapons in hand, glanced at the startled spectators, and coolly nodded, “ Right’s right, gentlemen, but critter was dead wrong,” he tersely ex- plained. ‘“‘ He bucked his hoss in ter foul ther quarter-blood. Thet would’a’ robbed me, too, so I chipped in.” “ Shorely, stranger—’”’ “Redrock, pard—Here Redrock, f’m Brimstone Butte.” “ An’ mine’s King—Burton King, Mr. Redrock. But, shorely, you don’t charge | foul play ?” “Yas, with Dandy Dave an’ Spanish John in on ther deal,” he of the red beard asserted. “Those are bold words, Mr. Redrock !” “ An’ I’m a bold man, Mr. King! Har —har !” That peculiar cachination proved in- fectious. A ripple of laughter ran through the crowd. Then all became silent, and fifty pairs of eyes peered sharply at the ; sport. Somehow, words had i those ressed his hearers, and for the moment they were ready to believe — Hercules Redrock anything he should proclaim himself to be. “ Wal, look out for Spanish John,” Bur- ton King warned. tightened _ thet | ‘carelessly uttered — : “ Yer words will shore- ly be carried to him, an’ jest as shorely : he’ll try ter make ye eat ’em.’ “You know et! goin’ ter camp - ‘in Tiptop a Noh thar’s a livery barn te OI 3 on ae Col eexe 0 But, I say, ards I'm ‘iad Pe oe